Improvement in telegraph-cables



D. H. SO'UTHWORTH. TELEGRAPH CABLE.

Patented Feb. 28, 1865.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DANL. H. SOUTHWORTH, Oh NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF, BLASE LORILLARD, AND CHAS. FERRIS. OF WHITE PLAINS, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN TELEGRAPH CABLES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 46,613, dated February 28, 1865.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be itknown that I, DANIEL H. Sournwonrn, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Telegraph Cables or Conductors; and I do hereby declare that thefollovs'ing is a full, clear, and exact description or" the same, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawiugs,tormin g part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a longitudinal View of a piece of a telegraph-cable constructed according to-ruy invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the same. Fig. 31s a transverse section of what I call the insulating-piece in a condition for the reception of the wires or conductors. Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate different modes of constructing the insulating-piece. Fig. 6 is'a front view of a die which is employed to introduce the wires or conductors into the insulating'piece.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to a novel mode of inclcsing and separately insulating several telegraph wires or conductors within one cable.

it consists in a novel construction or" and. mode of applying an insulating-piece of guttapercha, indict-rubber, or other material or fabric which is a non-conductor of electricity, whereby the said piece is made to serve both as a central core forthc separation of the sev-v v by forcing such material, in a plastic state,

through a suitable die, with the has or flanges radiating from the central core, a, as shown in Fig. 3, or be produced by takingastrip of guttapercha or vulcanized indie-rubber of suitable thickness and slitting it with a suitable cutting-instrument, as shown at 0 o in Fig. 4, to within a suitable distance from the center to form the fins or flanges b b, or by taking strips of woven fabric and sewing them together along their centers, as shown at d in Fig. 5. The wires or conductors e e are placed between the fins or flanges b l), which are afterward turned over and made to'envelop and inclose them separately, as shown in Fig. 2, and secured by one-or more coverings of wire, cord, yarn, or tape, or of all or any number of those fabrics, applying also as many coatings as may be desirable of flexible and water-proof materials or compositions orvsrnishes, such as guttepercha, india-rubber, or solutions or compounds of those substances.

In the example of my invention represented the insulating-piece is secured around the wires by winding around it a covering of yarn or cord, f. A tape, g, is afterward wound upon this yarn or cord, and an outer covering of yarn or cord, 72 is wound upon the exterior ot the tape, and this outer covering is supposed to be thickly coated with a suitable varnish. cablethus form d is suitable for overland tel egraphs; but for a submarine cable, or any cable submerged in water, 1 would use an outer ccverin g composed of wire, coiled around the cable, and coated with gutta-percha or other water proof material or composition. Wire might also be substituted for the yarn or cord f, or the insulating-pieces may be inclosed by wires arranged closely together lengthwise of the cable.

The best mode of applying the insulatingpiece to the wires or conductors is to pass the whole together through a die of steel orother metalof the construction shown in Fi g. 6. This die has an opcnin g through it of a suitable form for the passage of the insulatingpiece, and with suitable-grooves t 2 in the central portion, h, of the said-opening, between the radiating portions jj, through which the fins ortlanges b l; of the insulating-piece pass. These grooves are for the passage of the wires or conductors o e, which are brought thereinto from suitablyarranged spools or coils. The fins or flanges b b of the insulating-piece are turned over the wires or conductors, as shown in Fig.2, by passing the whole through a rotating hollow inandrel having a bore of the same circumference as the exterior of the centerpiece will have when so turned over, but having a taper or funnel like entrance, the outer portion or mouth of which has a circumference not less thanthat of a circle circumscribing the outer edges of the finsor flanges b b. The coverings of yarn, cord, or Wire and tape are afterward wound around the insulating-piece by means of suitable revoIving fliers, through which the insulating-piece and inclosed wires are drawn by suitable means.

The cable represented contains four wires or conductors, but it may be made to contain a larger or smaller number by constructing the insulating-piece with a corresponding number of fins or flanges, and in such case the die,

otherwise constructed as represented in Fig. 6, must have a corresponding number of radial openings, jj, and grooves What Iclaim as mj invention, and desire to secure by letters Patent, is-

Inclosing and separately insulating several telegraph wires or conductors in a cable by means of an insulating-piece having fins or flanges, and otherwise constructed substantially as herein specified.

D. H. SOUTHWORTH.

Witnesses:

I. W Coonuzs, HENRY T. BROWN. 

